GRAND RAPIDS, Iowa, Oct 13 (UPI) - In a piece of Friday the 13th bad luck,
10-year-old Blake Riffel joined Democrats onstage at a Grand Rapids rally,
where he passed out at the feet of Vice President Al Gore in front of
thousands of Iowans.

As Gore spoke, Riffel stood behind the vice president with about a dozen
other supporters who held up signs. About 10 minutes into the speech, Riffel
teetered for a moment and then fell forward, hitting the stage directly at
Gore's feet with a muffled thump that reverberated through the podium
microphone. He fainted just as Gore was taking a stab at GOP rival George W.
Bush's record on children's health care as governor of Texas

"The health care for children was assigned a much lower priority--" said
Gore, trailing off as Riffel slumped at his feet. "Do we have a doctor here
with us? I think he may have just fainted."

Gore and others on hand huddled over Riffel, who quickly woke up and
walked off stage to the cheers of some 2,500 people gathered for the outdoor
event.

"Looks like he's going to be alright," Gore said, continuing his speech.
"I believe I was just talking about health care for children."<BR>

TheFly

10-13-2000, 03:10 PM

I have a feeling it must have been the speech! http://www.ChiefsPlanet.com/ubb/tongue.gif

Bob Dole

10-13-2000, 03:13 PM

Bob Dole thinks the poor little guy probably just fell asleep.

morphius

10-13-2000, 03:16 PM

My goodness, I can't believe that these kids did not have desks to sit at because of overcrowding in the auditorium.

Either that or... This just shows how will the Clinton/Gore administration has done with helping children in the past 8 years, there now just dropping like flies.

CHIEF1

10-13-2000, 03:16 PM

I'm sure Gore just bored him to death. He's done it to me several times...

JC, was that when the kid was climbing all over the podium like he hadn't had his ritalin or something?.....

------------------
joe

"The word "genius" isn't applicable in football. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."
-Joe Theisman, NFL football quarterback and sports analyst

[This message has been edited by 58Forever (edited 10-13-2000).]

Baby Lee

10-13-2000, 03:23 PM

Yeah, Chris Farley lampooned it on SNL.

sigh, poor Chris.

[This message has been edited by JC-Johnny (edited 10-13-2000).]

[This message has been edited by JC-Johnny (edited 10-13-2000).]

morphius

10-13-2000, 03:29 PM

The kid could have just been showing his support for the logging companies by showing his representation of a tree falling down, in spite of AlGore.

He could have also thought it would be cool to be like AlGore and in his attempt to be as stiff as the vice president he learned the important lesson, that it stops blood flow to the brain being that stiff, and hence collapsed.

58Forever

10-13-2000, 03:34 PM

now that you mention it, I think that's what I remember and not the actual event... http://www.ChiefsPlanet.com/ubb/eek.gif

Morph, but at least Gore didn't fall off the stage like poor Bob Dole... http://www.ChiefsPlanet.com/ubb/redface.gif

[This message has been edited by 58Forever (edited 10-13-2000).]

morphius

10-13-2000, 03:40 PM

Joe - I'm not sure, but I think that Algore probably can't lean that stiff body over far enough in any direction to actually fall over.

Iowanian

10-13-2000, 03:43 PM

I would imagine even farm kids were overpowered by the smell of suffocating BS that algore was slinging about when he spent his childhood walking beans in Iowa fields....and how much easier farming has become since he invented the wheel..."and I told firestone not to go with that design"...

yaaawwwwwwwwwwnnnnn....i'm getting tired thinking about standing through that speech....good think algore invented CPR and saved that child's life http://www.ChiefsPlanet.com/ubb/wink.gif

58Forever

10-13-2000, 03:46 PM

morph, lol, true so true.....

morphius

10-13-2000, 03:51 PM

Joe - Finally I got a LOL, I hoped someone found them at least funny, it was either that or I was going to keep making crap up until someone did start laughing.

Iowa - Funny, hope the fumes are not reaching you at your place yet.

Iowanian

10-13-2000, 03:58 PM

actually, i'm starting to pick up the scent...i'm only an hour from CR and the wind picked up....I can handle it though, I'm know to sling a little BS myself.

the biggest difference is that I have a personality....and think of some clever $*** once in a while....

and don't have a team of candy@$$es telling me what to do....listening to the ground..saying what I want..

someone earlier today reminded me of a joke with a similar statement...tonto and the lone ranger are riding the trail..tonto suddenly stops and jumps from his horse, puts his hands and ear to the ground and listens....when he stands up, the lone ranger says "what is it tonto?" Tonto replys "buffalo come, kemosabi", "how do you know tonto?" Tonto replies "ground sticky!"<P>

morphius

10-13-2000, 04:11 PM

Iowa - Can you do me a favor and see what they can do about that god awful 65mph speed limit. I seem to drive from KC to Omaha and KC to MN very often and there is no good way to get around Iowa and that stupid slow enough for a snail to pass.

ck_IN

10-13-2000, 04:15 PM

I'd say it was either one of two things.

A: The kid was shocked into unconsiousness after hearing a grown man spew so many lies.

B: The hot air being emitted was just too much for the kid.

Iowanian

10-13-2000, 04:15 PM

morph,

I'd sure as hell like to. I had 2 tickets in a week...I spent the last month fighting friggin tickets...i did get one reduced and the other dismissed without an attorney...

I think it those "democraps" saving us all from our selves....i do think you are pretty safe at 70mph though.

Iowanian

10-13-2000, 04:19 PM

I have to share something unrelated....

yesterday In Iowa city I had a tooth pulled and a wisdom tooth cut out...on the way through I saw a sign that slayed me....